


5 Times Stefan Kowolski Was A Terrible Flatmate (And One Time He Wasn't So Bad)

by tigeressdion



Category: New Blood (TV)
Genre: 5+1 Things, Banter, Bickering, Friends to Lovers, Gen, Liberal use of 'Stef' because that killed me, Like just after case 3, M/M, Moving In Together, OR IS HE, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Post-Series, Rash in Denial, Shame on u stefan, Sharing Clothes, Shirtless Stefan, Stefan is a terrible flatmate, That's it that's all he plot this has, Thirsty Rash, This poor boi i torture him too much, What else do you expect with these two, Without permission tho
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-07-08
Updated: 2016-07-19
Packaged: 2018-07-22 10:13:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 1,245
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7432189
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tigeressdion/pseuds/tigeressdion
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Moving in with Stefan, his mate, pal, buddy, friend, partner in crime (partner against crime?)- whatever, was definitely going to be an experience. Rash expected that. He just kind of didn't really expect to maybe end up developing a crush on him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Boxes

**Author's Note:**

> Just my contribution to this fandom. God knows we need it!

Rash has come to the conclusion that Stefan is a terrible flatmate. True, they've only been living together for a week. (Stefan wanted to celebrate their one week anniversary, Rash refused. Setting boundaries is vital.) But he's just come home to the flat after work, the lights are all out, and he's stubbed his toe on one of Stefan's many errant boxes that are yet to be unpacked. (Rash unpacked all of his boxes the weekend after they moved in, but whatever.)

  
He fumbles along the wall until he finds the light switch and glances down to find the box responsible for his stubbed toe is the one marked with a large question mark in vivid purple. Rash shakes his head and makes a beeline for the kitchen, and fills the kettle with water to make tea. Stefan has already imparted the habit of a cup of tea as soon as you get home to him, and Rash has ended up consuming more tea than at any time in his life previously.

  
As he leaves the kettle to boil, Rash picks his way through the boxes littering the living room to his bedroom. He puts away his bag and his coat, undoes his tie and leaves it there. 

* * *

 

When Stefan gets home, the lights are on and he dodges the box with the purple question mark on it out of habit. He drops his rucksack in the entry and kicks off his shoes.

  
The words "you're a terrible flatmate" greet him as he enters the living room.

  
Stefan pauses for a second, shrugs off his jacket, and nods slightly. "Okay. Why?"

  
"You haven't unpacked any of your boxes yet!" Rash splutters, and Stefan nods again. "Seriously, are you living out of these boxes? What does your room look like? Stef, can you even see the floor?"

  
Stefan grins. "You want to see my room?"

  
Rash raises his eyes the heavens he doesn't believe in. "No, that's not what I-"

  
The door to his room is already open, and Stefan sweeps his arm in a wide arc. "My room is spotless, thank you very much."

  
From the wide-eyed look of shock on Rash's face, Stefan knows he's right.

  
"What about these?" Rash asks, gesturing to the (admittedly many) boxes.

  
Stefan shrugs and wanders to the kitchen. "I don't know where to put that stuff. In my old flat they didn't really look out of place."

  
Rash has followed him into the kitchen and is leaning on the counter. "Well, what's in them?"

  
He shrugs again, just to see the flicker of frustration scrunch up Rash's face. "I don't know. Polish stuff."

  
"That's _your_ Polish stuff, I hope."

  
"Are you calling me a thief?"

  
"Wouldn't put it past you."

  
"You're out of line."

 

* * *

 

Rash drops his head to hid the smile that's broken out against his will, and tries to ignore the flush of warmth low in his stomach that comes from the now well-worn bickering with Stefan. Why? Because he is a _terrible_ flatmate.


	2. Stealing Clothes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So, Stefan steals clothes. Rash finds it inappropriate.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here we go, chapter two! I know it's short, I apologise, but I'm still getting a feel for writing these two. Hope you enjoy!

At first, he notices it in the form of pairs of his socks mysteriously disappearing and then reappearing with neither rhyme nor rhythm. It escalates when, one night, they're sitting on the sofa, watching Hot Fuzz, and Stefan stretches his legs right into Rash's line of sight.

  
Rash wrinkles his nose and reaches out to push the legs away, when his eyes alight on his socks.

  
"Are they mine?"

  
"Ermm..." Stefan's gaze flicks from the TV to his feet, and back to the TV. "Yeah."

  
"Why?"

  
"Well, you bought them." Stefan says, smiling to himself as if he's been incredibly clever.

  
Rash takes a deep breath. "No, I know that. Why are you wearing them?"

  
Stefan shrugs, sinks further into the sofa, and doesn't look at him. "They were around. They're just socks, Rash."

  
He has a point. Rash lets it go, grudgingly.

* * *

 

Except that no less than a week later, Stefan is sporting a hoodie that looks very much like one Rash recently bought and he can't let it go.

  
"Have you got something against buying new clothes?" Rash asks from the kitchen counter, when Stefan walks in _flaunting_ Rash's own hoodie in front of him.

  
"Nah, but this is too big for you." Is Stefan's reply, pursing his lips at Rash in mock disapproval.

  
"Do you think I might want to decide that for myself?"

  
"Obviously you can't, otherwise you wouldn't have bought it." Stefan tells him, quirking his eyebrows.

  
"No- Listen- Just give it to me." Rash stands up and steps over to Stefan, who smirks.

  
"Alright, then. Look at that, it's swamping you!" Stefan stifles a laugh and turns away as Rash pulls on the hoodie (perhaps a little more aggressively than necessary).

* * *

  
Rash takes _great_ care to ignore the fact that the hoodie smells like Stefan, and if he wears it for the next two weeks, it's to prove to Stefan that he _can_ get good use out of it, and not because that's when the scent fades.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you enjoyed it, let me know!


	3. Lack of Clothes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Stefan does not sleep with a shirt on. He's also prone to wandering around the flat after showering with just a towel around his waist. It's indecent and it has to stop.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heere we go. Poor Rash, honestly.

Perhaps a month into living with Stefan, Rash comes to a very pertinent realisation: Stefan sleeps shirtless. It's not really something that would come up in their day to day lives. In fact, Rash doesn't think either of them has seen the other in their pajamas, not that there'd be a reason for that to happen.

  
Rash has come to his realisation thanks to the fact that it's ten in the morning, on Saturday, and Stefan has just shuffled into the kitchen to collect his cup of coffee. Shirtless. Stefan is picking up the cup, shirtless. Stefan is taking a sip, shirtless. Stefan is leaning against the counter, shirtless. He's doing it all shirtless.

  
Admittedly, Rash has seen Stefan shirtless before, but he'd been too frustrated and irritated (with Stefan) to pay any attention. Now though, they're both still sleepy, and Rash can't help but admire the view.

  
Wait.

  
Not admire. No, not admire, he's not admiring. Or, if he is, it's as a fellow athlete, rather than anything else.

  
Carefully not admiring, Rash takes a final gulp of his coffee and flees to his room, without so much as a "good morning" to a very confused Stefan.

* * *

  
Oh, but it gets worse. Apparently, as he gets more comfortable with Rash's company, Stefan finds it easier to not wear clothes in front of him.

  
Stefan's taken to walking around the flat post-shower with nothing but a towel around his waist.

  
Currently, Stefan's in the bathroom, and he shouts something. Rash, in the living room, can't make it out.

  
"What?"

  
Rash assumes Stefan repeats himself, but he could be speaking Polish for all Rash understands him.

  
"What?" Rash says again. It's too early for Stefan to be irritating him, but he's getting there, and Rash heads to the bathroom with no small amount of impatience.

  
"I said, have you done the washing?"

  
Rash stares at him a moment, torn between annoyance and something he'd rather not name because Stefan is shirtless _again_ , staring in the mirror as he does his hair without a single thought for Rash's emotional well-being.

  
"Well, have you?" Stefan raises his eyebrows at Rash expectantly in the mirror.

  
"I- uh, no. No, I don't think so." Rash manages, smooth as ever.

  
Stefan puffs his cheeks out and furrows his eyebrows a moment. "Looks like I'll have to go shirtless for a while, then."

  
Rash has to leave right then before he dies in the bathroom doorway.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did ya like it? Lemme know! :)

**Author's Note:**

> If you liked it please let me know what you thought! Kudos and comments are all welcomed. Also, any ideas for other chapters (or perhaps even other fics?)? Please let me know! find me at no1mothmanfan on tumblr


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